Fire and Flame
by sasha.moon
Summary: Paul Lahote was stubborn, sarcastic and kind of an asshole. Emily Youngs older cousin Laila was bold, confident and didnt put up with shit. Will sparks fly between two that cant even stand to be near eachother? Rated M for language and lemony goodness.
1. Chapter One

It was just past midnight on the small Quileute reservation of La Push. Laila Young sat perched on the small embroidered window seat, staring out at the dark expansive forest. The moonlight shone down, causing the dew drops glisten and every so often, the eyes of small critters would illuminate. She stared hard, as if to will the whole scenery to change back to the comfortable yard of her old house back in Texas. It was warm and dry there, the suns rays an essential part of day to day life. How could anyone live without that? She chuckled without humor. It had been 4 days since she arrived to her cousin Emily's home in La Push, Washington where she hadn't seen a single ray of sunshine since she arrived. How the hell was that _possible_? And what was the point of living by the beach if it was too cold and rainy to even go swimming? A deer had caught her eyes, then broke off into run back into the forest behind the house, effectively breaking her reverie. She shivered, pulling the too-big green flannel she borrowed from Sam's closet tighter. She sighed and stood up, stretching her arms that felt weird after sitting for so long.

"You okay?" Emily's quiet voice was pronounced through the small, silent house. Laila turned in time to see Emily pop open the refrigerator door, her long black hair piled high on her head in a neat bun.

"I'm fine. Can't sleep." She ran her fingers through her own soft curls that ran down her back. She loved her cousin dearly, yet she couldn't help but always feel inferior to her. Emily was beautiful. Her high cheekbones accentuated her almond eyes almost as perfectly as her black bangs framed her face. Golden, tanned skin and shiny black hair that hung long, she couldn't bring herself to cut her hair. Laila had tight honey brown curls that were hard to tame on a good day. She was more red-brown than golden, thanks to genetics on her fathers side, and her brown eyes were nothing short of boring. Cousins, they were. Did they look the part? Hell no.

She sighed once again and slipped into the chair that was at the counter. Emily turned back around, plopping cheese and butter onto the counter.

"Hungry?" Emily asked with a knowing smile. She grabbed the bread from on top of the fridge.

"I'm always in the mood for your famous grilled cheese," Laila smirked. She looked back out the window, and shivered. "So where are the boys then?"

Emily stiffened for a nano-second, then dropped the butter in the pan with a sizzle.

"I'm not sure exactly, although I do know Seth and Paul are in the forest, near the house," She set the first sandwich in the pan while Laila considered this, and the smell was mouth watering. "Hey, I know this might all be too much for you, I don't want you to be uncomfortable here Laila." Emily grabbed her cousins hand, her face sincere in apology. Laila snickered.

"Don't worry about me cuz, I've always been braver than you anyways. What's so scary about a bunch of teen wolves?" Emily looked relieved at that, and set down Laila's grilled cheese in front of her, cooked crispy exactly how she liked it. Laila took a bite, and groaned.

"Em, how can you make cheese and bread taste so good?" Emily chortled and set another sizzling sandwich in the pan.

The truth was, Laila missed her boys. She had moved here to La Push to be near her cousin and family. But she also wanted to see her friends that she had known since she was little. Apparently, since she had permanently relocated to this wet green alien planet, Sam and "the tribal council" had felt it necessary to inform her of the Quiluete legends... which were more or less cold hard facts. She had taken it well, almost too well- at which point Sam had correctly assumed that she didn't believe anything that was coming from Old Quils mouth. So he had stood up, looked Laila dead in her eyes, and phased. And that was that.

It had been 4 days, and she hadn't been able to talk to or see any of her dearest friends. Jacob was at the top of that list. They had been inseparable since she was 5 for every summer Emily's mother, her Aunt Jem, had taken her in. They had ridden bikes together, played in the mud and explored the outskirts of the forest until they had grown into the awkward, pre-teen stage. Then they had graduated to drinking together at 14, finding a loose cigarette and smoking it for the first time (Jacob made her promise she would never ever touch one again, and she never did), and receiving her first kiss from Quil during a truth or dare game. The summer of Laila's graduation from high school- Jacob and the other boys had gotten her truly fucked up, and she spent the first night of that summer hunched over Embry's toilet, with him rubbing her back and Jared supplying her with water, crackers and Tylenol. It was actually worst summer she ever had there, when she and Jacob ignored each other for weeks after his first kiss (Laila despised the tramp, thank god that didn't last long) although they had forgiven each other and the little quarrel was forgotten. Her summers here were always action-packed and there was never a dull moment. She had almost counted on her close friends to trample her as soon as her flight landed. Which was why it was kind of upsetting that Sam had ordered the boys away from Emily's house.

"So what's with the gag order anyway?" Laila wondered, a little peeved at Sam. And peeved at the guys. Why would they listen to him? You would think after a year she could atleast get a phone call...

"Sam's just trying to protect you, Laila. Don't take it personal... if he orders one of them to do- or not do- something, they have to obey. It's kind of part of the whole wolf thing."

"It's not fair. They shouldn't have to suffer because of me-"

"Suffer! Ha!" Emily laughed and picked up both their empty floral plates. She shook her head. "Nobody is suffering Laila. You will see the boys soon enough, I promise." Emily's nonchalant attitude did appease her a little. There was comfortable silence between them as Emily washed her plates and Laila sat on the yellow cushioned seat. Her eyes fell on a picture of Emily and Sam, mid-laugh that was hung on the fridge. It was one of many reminders around the small, cozy home that they were irresistibly and utterly in love.

"So is it weird for you? To date a... werewolf?" She hoped Emily didn't hear her hesitation over the word. It was still weird as hell for her to say out loud.

"Not at all. He's still Sam, just bigger and stronger. But even when he's changed into a wolf, he's still there inside. Just a furrier body." She giggled, only one half of her perfect face turned up into the smile, as the other half was cast into a somewhat permanent frown from the bear attack last year. It hurt Laila every time she looked at it. She turned away.

"Don't you miss when things were normal? Or if you would have never known?" Laila insisted, starting to question her own involvement. Why did she have to know about it? She wasn't even Quiluete technically. That came from Emily's father, which she had no relation to. Her mother and Emily's mother were sisters. Although she was treated like family by nearly everyone, that small little fact was always in the back of her head. _Different._ Couldn't even fit in where she felt most comfortable.

"I would never go back. I think I was born to live a life like this." Emily beamed, and Laila knew that was true. Emily deserved the world, and she could see that Sam did everything to give her that. She yawned suddenly, and blinked against the dryness in her eyes. She was sure that grilled cheese would put her to sleep, and after making her way upstairs to the guest room bed, she succumbed.

A low howl ripped through the thick, morning fog, and it made Paul jump to his feet immediately. He had just gotten to sleep, dammit. Couldn't he get one good hour of sleep? He grumbled, removing his shorts as he jogged through his shabby, back door and phased, already at the forest edge.

 _'Mornin' boys_ ' Sams thoughts were on edge, yet there was a hint cheerfulness surrounded his thoughts too. Paul ignored it, he wasn't in the mood.

 _'What's going on?'_ Jared demanded, suspicious. The light brown wolf fell into a run next to Paul, heading for the clearing where Sam sat perched, waiting for them. Paul dug his claws into the damp earth, pushing faster. He didn't want company right now.

 _'Get your head out of your ass dude, you're not the only one whose tired_ ' Jared complained. Paul growled, making it to the clearing before anyone else. Sam was waiting for everyone with expectant eyes.

 _'This has better be important, I just got off a 12 hour shift'_ Paul sat next to Sam as Jared, Quil and Seth finally arrived.

' _Where is Leah?_ ' Sam questioned Seth. The sandy wolf shrugged.

' _What's this about?_ ' Jacob broke the clearing, his russet colored wolf pacing back and forth as Embry and Leah finally joined the group. Jacob was excited, panting and his huge tail whipping back and forth. His thoughts were centered around Laila and the alpha order that had banned him from seeing the girl. Jesus, kid needed to get a grip.

 _'Actually, Jacob, that's exactly why I called you all here. I think it would be better now that she's had time to adjust, if we all visited her. I'm lifting the ban. She seems to be taking it very well, and I see no reason to keep you all from her. I can see it in her eyes, she misses you all.'_

There was a moment of silence, and then Jacob turned and skirted off like a bat out of hell in the direction of Emily's house. The rest of the pack howled in excitement, following after the baby alpha.

' _Seriously? That's it?'_ Paul snorted, turning to head back home. It was 7am, Christ. He could've been asleep by now. He didn't understand it. What was so damn special about this annoying girl that everybody gravitated to her. He would pass.

 _'Bro shut the hell up. Go get some sleep, I'm sure she doesn't wanna see your ugly mug first thing in the morning anyway_ ' Embry piped up, and Paul couldn't disagree. There was little love between the two for as long as he could remember, and she probably despised him as much as he despised her. No, he didn't even care enough to despise her.

 _'Em's making breakfast Paul, you can at least eat and say hi before you go pass out'_ Seth volunteered. Paul's wolf stopped just short of the clearing to his back yard. He could use some frisbee sized cinnamon rolls, and maybe some eggs. His stomach grumbled achingly, and the decision was made. He was at Emily's house just after everyone else arrived, and phased back to put his shorts back on. He could already hear the chorus of the pack in the small house. It was just barely big enough to hold the already large pack of shapeshifters, how could they just throw another person into the mix with ease? Especially one who would judge them knowing what they were, or so easily expose them.

He walked through the back door, and eyes settled on Emily's warm smile. She was always welcoming of him, even with his more often than not surly attitude.

"I missed you shrimp! Now you'll never be able to get rid of me." Quil chuckled, pinching the small girl-Laila- as she squeaked. He couldn't even think her name. She was just the girl. The girl that Jacob couldn't seem to get his mind off of, the girl that Sam would give his life to protect for some reason, the girl that had captivated everyone around him- even Leah! Everyone loved her, was like an annoying alarm in his head. _Beep, beep, beep. Laila, Laila, Laila._ He turned around to face his pack mates. They all had her surrounded. She was sitting at the breakfast table, telling some story that had everyone engrossed.

"I swear! It was the worst flight I've ever been on. The guys head was practically in my lap, and he was snoring." Laila laughed, shaking her head. And of course Jacob was sitting next to her, arm thrown around her possessively in an attempt to make it out of the friend zone as she was describing her airplane horror story. Paul could see she was leaning away, just slightly. Jacob was always pushing the boundaries with her. Her back was to Paul, freckles playing under her brown dress at her shoulders and arms. Her loose curls were in a low bun, a few tendrils had escaped at her neck, and they had a touch of blonde in them. Had she dyed her hair? Or was it from the sun? She was slightly taller, he could tell even with her sitting down, her body taking more of a womanly shape. How old was she now? 20? And then he realized, why did he care? He turned back around and gathered eggs in the plate he was holding. Emily squeezed his arm.

"How are you? I haven't seen you around in a while." She almost whispered, and he smiled. She was so timid and quiet, and he liked that about her. Almost obedient, she was perfect for Sam. Perfect for a wolf. A stark contrast to her cousin Laila, who was too bold and confident. He wondered how the hell they could ever be related.

"I'm fine, just tired is all." He said, layering his eggs and bacon under a thick stream of syrup. He didn't even bother sitting at the full table. He ate standing in the kitchen, watching the pack flitter around this girl that didn't belong here. Sam caught his eye at that moment, and he knew it was a warning. Sam could feel the tenor of his thoughts. He turned away.

"You know, you've never even given her a chance. I don't understand why-"

"I don't make friends." He stated simply, as he finished his last bite and washed his plate off. He didn't want to offend Emily, but her cousin would be the very last person he would consider being 'friends' with. The thought was laughable. "Thanks for breakfast, Em." He winked at her, and left through the back door. As soon as he was out, he felt instantly better. It was almost nauseating, the pull they all felt for that girl. Christ, you'd think they all imprinted. He shook his head and phased, heading towards his house. Finally, some fucking _peace and quiet._

He phased back, slipping on his shorts once again and proceeded through his house, to his bedroom. Once he laid down, it was easy enough to fall asleep. Annoyingly, his last conscious thoughts as he drifted off were of the girl and why she'd even move here in the first place.

"Ay Paul! Wake up man!" A booming voice echoed through his house. Paul groaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head.

"Fuck off Quil," he grumbled. His bedroom door bounced open, hitting the wall. Paul shot up, his face set into a hard grimace as he inspected the hole in his wall that the doorknob had produced.

"Shit man, I'll fix that for you," he said, rubbing his fingers over the damage he had caused. "Tomorrow. Tonight, we're going to a bonfire," Paul glanced at the clock. 5:33. Well at least he got a good 8 hours of sleep, more than he had in days.

"Don't you know how to call? Or at least fucking knock?"

"You're a heavy sleeper. Anyways, get a shower, you reek," he sniffed, and at that he closed the door and made his way to the living room. Paul could hear his tv turn on, and then immediately after his fridge door opening. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Clearly Quil wasn't letting him out of this one. And on any other day, he really wouldn't have minded a pack bonfire on First Beach. This occasion would obviously be different, with Laila in the equation. He didn't want to be near her. Sighing in resignation, he bound out of his bed and headed for the shower. He could use a drink- or twenty- anyways.

Laila appraised herself in the mirror, and sighed, taking off the stupid long sleeve shirt. She balled it up and threw it on the bed. Cold weather clothes were too uncomfortable. She was used to shorts, tank tops, dresses, sandals... Sadly she would have to trade in most of her wardrobe for something more weather appropriate in this awful climate. She settled for light blue skinny jeans and another one of Sam's oversized flannels- this time red. It smelled like him though, and she hugged it a little tighter. He was like her big brother.

Her hair was a long, thick braid thumping against her back as she bounded down the flight of stairs. Emily assessed her outfit for a quick second, and decided she was acceptable. Her first outfit had been a dress and flip flops, to which Emily laughed out loud and urged her back upstairs to change. Just because the sun was out didn't mean it was necessarily warm, she had told her.

"You can borrow my boots," Emily suggested, pointing to the dark brown hiking books that were sitting near the door.

"Uh, are we trekking through the forest? No thanks, I'll just wear my converse." She slipped on her worn, navy blue chucks and sat on the stairs, chin in hand. "What's tonight about anyways?"

Emily snickered, pulling her forest green raincoat on. It wasn't in the forecast to rain tonight, but it was always handy to have in case. "You, of course. Plus, it's the guys night off. Once a month, Sam lets all of them have a night off together, no patrolling. They have to stay on the reservation, but it's a nice break from the usual schedule."

The two girls walked out the front door, Emily locking it behind her, and Laila could see the break in the clouds as the sun went down. What a shame, finally some sunlight only for it to be taken away by dusk. She stepped out from under the eve of the house, just as a nearly naked Embry Call emerged from the forest. He was wearing only a pair of black shorts and worn tennis shoes. Holy crap, wasn't he _cold?_

"Ladies," He cheered in greeting, perfectly at ease as Emily pulled a hoodie from a chest on her front porch and tossed it to him.

"Embry, aren't you freezing?" Laila asked. He smirked and shrugged on the hoodie, covering his muscled brown chest. It fit over his burly arms just barely.

"Nope, I run pretty hot these days. It's a wolf thing." Laila shook her head in disbelief again. Would she ever get used to the supernatural? "Where are you gals headed anyway?"

"Sam wants us to get a few things from the store for the bonfire. Do you mind helping us?" Emily started for the rusty brown truck that had been her fathers before it was hers. It was old, but it was reliable.

"Yeah I'll come," he turned to Laila, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the truck. "What, cat got your tongue?"

"More like dogs got my tongue." She muttered under her breath.

About an hour later, the three had shown up to First Beach with bonfire items in tow. It wasn't much, just wood, hotdogs and s'mores stuff. It wouldn't have been an expensive trip if it weren't for the gallons of alcohol that they had to supply for the pack as well. Laila and Emily had settled for a few bottles of wine to share between them. The rest of the beer and hard liquor had been per request by the pack. Apparently being an oversized wolf on occasion made getting drunk an achievement that you had to work for.

Jacob had been the first to show up, overly eager to help set up the fire and logs surrounding it. Laila had started it, with Jacobs help, as he taught her how to start a fire without any lighter fluid. He had told her even if she couldn't taste it on the hot dogs, the rest of them could. Another one of their super senses.

Truthfully, she loved being with Jacob. Loved his personality, his laugh, and he was beautiful, just like the rest of them. She even loved the possessive edge he had on her, although she thought maybe she liked it a little _too_ much. It was harmless though, to have him close to her, arm around her, a warm lap to sit in. It was nice to be close to someone like that, without it being _like that._

It only took a few minutes for the rest of the pack to arrive, the cheerful energy lifting her mood. She claimed a seat in between Jacob and Leah, who in spite of her rough exterior and rocky start to their friendship, Laila had come to love to girl.

"Here, Laila," Emily passed her a red cup filled with wine, and Laila tested it. It was delicious. She nursed her cup and surveyed the group surrounding the fire. She loved every single one of these people. It didn't matter to her if they were something other, she realized. They were family to her, more family to her than her own flesh and blood sometimes (not including Emily). She subconsciously leaned towards Jacob, and he rested a hand on her knee. She took another sip from her cup, finishing it off and looked up. Her eyes settled on another pair of dark eyes, eyes that were scrutinizing her with resentment. Paul didn't look away, and neither did she. She felt herself flush, but she didn't care. What the hell was his problem? He could go to hell for all she-

"Laila, want a refill?" Emily stood in front of her, breaking her from her bitter staring contest, and also blocking her from the warmth of the fire. She felt a little chilly, and decided she could use another cup to warm up. But she wanted something stronger. She got up, shaking Jacobs arm off her back. He looked up, confused. She had a glint in her eyes.

"Alright, who wants to do some shots?"


	2. Chapter Two

Paul was seated comfortably in the small circle surrounding the bonfire. He was feeling warm now- and it wasn't from the flames. He downed his fourth cup of cranberry and vodka, and threw the red cup with precision at the garbage can that was more than 20 feet away. He opted for a beer this time, now that he had a comfortable buzz going. He was wearing a black T-shirt and cargo shorts, although the weather probably called for something warmer. The breeze off of the water was chilly, and he was sure that if he were a normal human he would be freezing right now. That was one thing he loved about being a wolf. No weather restrictions. He cracked open a cold can and sat back down on the huge mossy log. He sighed, leaning back against a bigger piece of timber, and stretched his muscled legs out. Embry and Jared were blabbering on next to him, trying to talk Jared's imprint Kim into cliff diving. She was young, 17, but she had accepted the imprint with little coercion and now Jared and her could live happily ever after. Whatever.

The rest of the group were conversing around the fire also. Sam with Emily (as usual), Leah and Quil, and Seth, Jacob and Laila. Everyone was at ease. Relaxed. It was a rare thing for this group. Especially rare for Sam. As second in command, Paul knew that it was tiring being in charge of six immature wolves. And also training a brainless baby to one day lead them all.

He was glad he came out, he needed to wind down a little even if it meant drinking an entire gallon of vodka. Even if this whole gathering was centered around some stupid girl.

He glanced up at her then, and saw her leaning into Jacob with a warm smile. Jacob played right into it, throwing an arm around her shoulder. Pathetic. How could he be so happy to be placed firmly in the friend zone. The kid needed to man up. What got him the most was how Jacob thought of her. The way his thoughts would wrap around the girl possessively, like he _owned_ her. The memories he would ponder over, his obsessive internal monologue... god it made Paul want to puke. He hated sharing thoughts with Black. The kid was such a pussy.

Laila glanced up at him, narrowing her brown eyes slightly. Paul didn't flinch. Her eyes hardened and she lifted her chin a fraction of an inch. So she wanted to play stubborn then? There was something wrong with this girl. Any normal human could take 1 look at Paul, and visibly shy away from fear. Even Kim shied away from him and she was a goddamn imprint! Their human instincts told them one thing: dangerous. So why was this girl sitting here, purposely pushing his buttons? Did she really believe someone like her could make him submit? The thought was ridiculous. He glared back menacingly.

At that moment, Emily blocked his view from her deep brown eyes, and he was thankful. Another second of that and maybe he would've shown her exactly what she should be afraid of. He downed the rest of his beer, and got up to get another. He didn't have work tomorrow, and he didn't have patrol either. 2 days off in a row was a complete blessing.

' _Fuck it_ ,' he thought, pouring himself another strong cranberry and vodka, ' _May as well do it up_.'

"Alright, who wants to do some shots?" Laila beamed, wiggling a bottle of cinnamon whiskey in her small hands. The chattering amongst the group stopped.

"How about we play beer pong, and for every shot you miss, you have to take a shot?" Jared smirked, playing on her obvious lack of hand-eye coordination. At that rate, the girl would get absolutely belligerent.

"How about no," Leah chimed in, saving the girl from eminent alcohol poisoning. "I'll do a shot with you, Emily and Kim come here!" Emily bounced off Sam's lap, gave him a peck, and joined the circle of girls at the picnic table. Kim was more shy, only joining when Laila coerced her and Jared insisted. Paul snorted. The girl needed to grow a backbone if she was going to handle being an imprint.

"Something funny, Lahote?" Jared demanded after Kim was out of earshot. Paul finished off his 6th drink. Being drunk made his usual half-filter evaporate; out came Paul in his full asshole glory.

"Yeah, actually," he looked over to Kim, who was now taking shots of liquor with the other girls. She was quiet, and not in the strong quiet confidence like Emily. She was reserved. Insecure. Mousy. He could sense it. Not even Laila's assured and spirited personality could bring her out of her shell. How could a wolf imprint on somebody like that? "Just wondering if I'll ever hear more than two words outta her mouth," he laughed again. Jared was instantly fuming.

"Shut the fuck up, douchebag. You'll never understand because you'll never find anybody that would put up with your bullshit." Jared spat, and lurched himself off the mossy log. He went over to the group of girls, who were getting louder as time went on, and kissed Kim vehemently. A chorus of whistles and ' _Oooh_!'s erupted around the couple, and Kim blushed, hiding her face in his shoulder.

Paul rolled his eyes. Yuck.

"You know, you might be more considerate..." Embry chided, staring into the fire. "You really don't understand what it's like to imprint. You can't say shit about it, really."

"I understand enough about it to know he doesn't belong to himself anymore. He belongs to her." Paul stated simply, eyes still on Jared as he was staring at Kim like she was an angel on earth. "When have you ever known Jared Cameron to be a _cuddler_? Or wear matching shirts with someone? Shits laughable. He's a fucking marshmallow now."

Embry considered that for a moment. He then grabbed a skewer and plopped his 8th hotdog on it, preparing to roast it over the roaring fire.

"Okay, so when's the last time Jared had to be talked down from phasing out of anger? The kid would phase at the drop of a hat. His anger is totally in check now. Love changes people. For the better." Embry concluded with a nod of his head.

Paul scoffed. "Love. Yeah, right. You can't just look at someone and be in love."

"Yes you can." Embry disagreed, shaking his head "Look around you. It's called imprinting."

"Whatever." Paul shrugged. He was just glad it was a rare thing, and that his eyes would most likely never be clouded by the weight of an imprint. The girls had filtered back in the circle, sitting down in their original spots. Paul stood, and made his way to the picnic table, heading for the last bit of vodka he was determined to polish off. Something in the distance caught his eye. Who was sitting by the shore, in the dark all alone? He grabbed the bottle and headed in that direction. It was certainly colder outside without the heat from the fire, he could feel the temperature change every step further from the circle of friends. He got closer to the figure, recognizing the scent before the long braided hair.

"Come to be my space heater?" Laila guessed, turning around with a dimpled smile. Only as soon as she recognized who it was, her smile fell and she turned back around. Clearly it wasn't Paul that she had expected. Who none other than the baby alpha would be at her every beck and call?

"Sorry, looks like your little puppy dog is distracted at the moment" he sneered, and she looked back to the group who were now playing an extreme game of beer pong. She glared at him again and huffed, taking a sip of whatever was in her cup. She shuddered, and pulled her flannel closer to herself.

Paul sat next to her with a big thump, and she had to use both hands to balance herself on the driftwood.

"Is there something I can help you with?" She growled, annoyance thick in her voice. Yet she made no attempt to move away from him, as close as he was sitting to her. _Interesting_. He took a long drag from the bottle he held, inconspicuously moving closer, and offered it to her. She shook her head, gesturing down at her own cup.

"Are you even old enough to be drinking, pipsqueak?"

"I'm 22." She was curt. "Again, is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually. Make me understand." He stared into the side of her face at a freckle on her cheek until she turned to look at him, her face inches away. Feeling too close for comfort after a moment, she moved away. He smirked. _I win._

If there was one thing he knew about this girl, it was that she _always_ put up a fight.

"Understand what?" She glowered at him again, her full lower lip hitting out just slightly, and he could smell the liquor from her breath. He could also smell the vanilla and honey suckle scent that was naturally hers wafting from her and swimming around his head. It was divine. _Get it together you drunk idiot._

"Understand why you're here if you hate it so much."

She was taken aback. "I _do_ _not_ hate it! You don't know anything. Why the hell are you even talking to me?"

This time he was the one who was taken aback. Why _was_ he sitting here, talking to this stupid little girl? He considered that for a moment, taking another drawl of the liquor, and put the bottle back into the sand between his legs. She copied him, taking another swig of her drink, and stared into the water with indignation. She smelled of Sam, and for some reason this fact made him almost want to growl. _The hell_? Before he could answer, she spoke.

"I'm here to be near family. I don't know what makes you hate me so much, but honestly I don't give a shit. You should just stay away from me." And at that, Paul had to laugh out loud.

"Ha! Like I ever could. You don't think I've tried? Sams got me on babysitting duty now, so you're stuck with me, sweet cheeks. Trust me, if I could drop kick you back to Texas, I would."

She didn't reply, as she stared out at the water and for a moment he wondered what was going through her head. He felt more than heard Jacobs loud and quickening footsteps coming closer to them, although she couldn't with her lousy human hearing.

"Your puppy dog Jake is coming over to rescue you. Hopefully you stop leading him on and show him a good time tonight."

"You're a disgusting excuse for a human being!" She snapped, glaring at him. He laughed again. He was thoroughly enjoying pissing her off. She wasn't scared of him at all. A fighter.

"Hasn't anyone told you? I'm not a human being."

They sat there for a moment, glowering at each other before Jacob made it over to them.

"What's going on?" He demanded, regarding the two sitting on the driftwood together. Laila finally stood up.

"Nothing, I'm kind of tired Jake. Could you drive me home?" Paul gripped the bottle a little tighter as Jacob threw his arm around her and pulled her closer. Stupid puppy dog.

"Of course Laila, lets go. It's getting cold out..."

Laila and Jacob walked away, and Paul leaned back, staring at the cold, grey clouds that were blocking the stars. ' _Finally alone_ ' he thought, closing his eyes. _'Like always_.'

Laila closed the front door behind her, glad to be rid of Jacob and his annoying persistence. He was her very best friend, no doubt. Yet there was no getting around the fact that he did have some feelings for her that would sooner or later cause issues. And there was nothing she could do, really. What would she say? _'Hey Jake. Can you stop having a crush on me? But still give me all your time and attention._ ' Exasperated, she kicked off her sandy converse and headed toward the fridge. Her stomach was rumbling, she was a little dizzy and for some reason her mood was off. She grabbed a bottle of water, and decided she could use some Tylenol to get ahead of the impending hangover that was sure to come. Her footsteps were noisy, and for the first time since stepping foot in the house, she realized it was quiet. Way too quiet. Almost eerily. She glanced to the hallway, almost expecting to see a ghost or robber. It was empty, save for the small bookcase and dozens of pictures hanging on the yellow wall. _'Stop being ridiculous_ ' Laila rolled her eyes at herself, and popped the two pills that would save her from a headache in the morning.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't completely alone. She decided she could use some sleep, and headed for the stairs that led to the guest room. Her weird mood was probably from her less than pleasant conversation she had earlier with a less than pleasant person. What was Paul's problem with her? Sure, most of the time she wasn't the friendliest with him. But how could you be with someone who had **FUCK OFF** stamped to their forehead permanently? He was entirely different that Jacobs sunny personality, Embrys caring nature or Sams calm demeanor. He was just an asshole to put it plainly. Why did the assholes always have to be good looking? She couldn't deny the effect he had on her. His thick, red-brown arms...The way his dark eyes could hold hers, even if they were filled with hostility... ' _Jesus Laila, shut up!'_ You could hate someone and still think they were attractive, right?

She reached the top of the stairs, and immediately paused, glancing down the dark hallway that led to Sam and Emily's room. The hair on her neck bristled, and goosebumps raised on her arms. There was nobody there... she was all alone. So why was her body suddenly alarmed? She felt nervous, yet there was nothing to be nervous about. She started towards her room, and realized it was completely silent in the house again. It felt deliberate, like a child playing hide and seek.

She opened her door, and sighed in relief. It was empty. She had such an overactive imagination. The window over the small wooden desk was ajar, and a cool breeze whipped around her hot neck. It felt so good, she closed her eyes and let it gust lightly around her. She just needed to relax. The window creaked slightly, startling her. She opened her eyes, and gasped. Outside in the dark, a pair of curious red eyes were staring back at her.


	3. Chapter Three

Paul was on all fours, racing against time in the seemingly endless forest. He should be there by now, shouldn't he? The feeling was similar to running on a treadmill with 30 pound weights on his legs. Like he was making no progress. It was still dark, and the cold wind was whipping at his silver-haired muzzle. He felt desperate; anxiety bloomed in his abdomen and his large claws dug deeper in the earth. Oh, he knew he was dreaming. He was sure of it. Yet, the scent that made his blood boil and clouded his mind was so strong he was almost sure it was real. His wolf was galloping through the forest, desperate to save whatever the hell he was going after. The scent- the _vampire_ \- it was nearby. Then he heard it- a cry. It was familiar. A human girl.

Paul came to in an instant, disoriented. He was still outside, by the water. It was definitely colder and windier. The sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline and the trees bristling in the winds might have been calming on another day, but right now it just made him feel unsettled. What time was it? He checked his watch. 1:33 A.M.

"Shit." He muttered, rubbing his face in his hands. The last thing he remembered before passing out was Seth and Embry competing against each other to see who could chug beer the fastest...The fire had now died down to a small pile of orange glowing embers, and everybody had most likely left hours ago. Left him to sleep on a hard log. Assholes. His heart was still racing from the strange dream he had. It had felt so real...

He got up and fingered his pockets, making sure his keys and wallet were still there and not laying around somewhere after his drunken stupor. They were there, but he felt like running home anyways. He needed some fresh air to shake off the weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. Almost like his wolf was itching to get out. He made it to the forest edge before taking his clothes off and tying them to the cord around his ankle. A split second before phasing, he noticed Emily's truck was still parked at the Clearwater's house. _Huh. Weird_.

He was on all fours again, running like his dream, except this time he was going home to crash. Or maybe... run a little bit. His chest felt weird, like it might collapse inside itself. _What is this strange feeling_... he was probably just tired. Being tired always had him on edge. He had gotten almost 11 hours of sleep today and still felt exhausted. No amount of sleep would ever be enough, he thought somberly. He could sleep for days and-

 _That smell_. It hit him like a fucking freight train and stopped all rational thought processes. His wolf instincts took over as he hastily changed course and followed the scent. He didn't have time to alert anyone else; he didn't even think of it truthfully. His body must have known before his conscious did, that's why he was so off put after waking up. He maneuvered the mossy terrain swiftly and quietly. His one objective was to find the vampire, and kill it. _Find. Kill. Find. **Kill.**_ It was repeating in his head over and over. The pull was strong now, and he listened to it this time. When the scent had led directly to Sams house, his vision had washed over in a red film and he was sure he was foaming at the mouth. The scent here was strong, that sickly sweet cloying scent. Why the hell was this thing at Sams? He stopped in his tracks. Laila was here also. He could smell her, but only her scent. So Sam and Emily weren't there. Then he remembered Emily's truck. _At the Clearwater's_. Without a second thought, he bounded to the flimsy back door that was never locked and phased back. The vampire smell was stronger as he got closer to the house. He opened the door, nearly tearing it off, and was immediately assaulted with the heavy scent. He heard howls in the distance, and smiled to himself because he was already here before the rest of the pack. This was _his_ kill.

His jaw locked and muscles taut, he crept through the house, preparing to phase at any second. It was dead silent. He was at the staircase now, and Laila's scent was heavier- but so was the vampires. The pull was stronger now, the strongest it had been and it was beckoning him up the stairs. Anxiety swelled in his stomach again, just like the dream, and he was confused because what the _fuck?_ He was always ready to fight a bloodsucker, so why was he so damn nervous now? How was this situation any different? He quietly reached the top of the stairs, automatically going for the guest room because that's where he knew Laila had slept. The uneasiness was at full force now. He pushed the creaky door open, heat licking up his spine in waves as he prepared for the worst. He fought to keep composure as his wolf roared inside him, fighting to get out. His thumb flicked the light on, and he stopped in his tracks. There Laila sat on her bed, pocket knife in her hand, her face set in a hard determination. _Christ, she was gonna try to fight the thing_? At Paul's sight she sighed in relief, dropping the knife on the bed, and finally looked up at him with her big brown eyes and smiled. And then he couldn't see anything.

He couldn't see anything, except that he could see _everything_ now. Her eyes weren't just brown, they were chocolate and caramel, blended together to form the warmest and most exquisite eyes he'd ever see in his life. They had depth to them, and it was easy to see the several emotions playing in them. Relief. Confusion. Surprise. He could see himself reflecting in them, and for once he could see his life through her. Those eyes could have drowned him happily. She blinked, and he used that eight of a second to ground himself. _What in the fuck just happened_? The pull had disappeared; in its place was a permanent hold that connected him to her. And then it all came crashing down on him. His purpose, his reason for existence, the core of his being, his place on earth... it was all for the girl standing right in front of him.

It was all too much... too much _feeling_ for Paul. And at the same time it wasn't nearly enough. _Why now?_ He dropped to his knees, hands in his face. _Why does it feel so fucking awful?_ He felt like he had been torn apart. Broken. Rip to shreds a million times over and then rebuilt for the girl in front of him. To serve, protect, love... whatever she needed, he would take it. He felt desolate, his heart was aching like it had been broken in the process also... and he knew why. How could his imprint ever accept him? She despised him. And he made her despise him. If he could rip his heart out and give it to her, he would.

"Laila! Paul! Are you guys up there?" Sam's voice was filled with shaky concern as he yelled up the stairs. Paul couldn't even fathom it; he sat there and stared at Laila, trying to make sense of emotions going through his head right now.

"Uh.. yes! We're both here!" Laila stammered and ran past him, down to Sam, her scent blasting around his face and making him see stars. His wolf wanted to chase after her and steal her away forever, and it was a surprisingly hard urge to control. After a few seconds, Paul composed himself. He needed to get a grip before going down stairs or he would end up taking the girl for himself like the real big-bad-wolf.

"Shit Paul, you okay?" Embry kneeled down next to him. Paul straightened up a little, feeling better that she was out of his sight but feeling worse, too.

"I'm good. I just caught a scent and it led straight up here, in Laila's room. The fucker must have gotten away right before I got here."

"Yeah. Jacob, Quil and Leah are following the scent right now. Why didn't you howl, man? We could've been here for you in case something happened."

"I didn't think of it." Paul stood, and turned to head downstairs. The gape in his chest was burning. He needed to make sure she was okay.

Embry followed. "Yeah well, get ready. You know Sam isn't happy about this." He murmured. Paul wasn't listening. His focus was on Laila's voice.

"He just stared at me... he looked human. He just had red eyes." He heard Laila explain, and he rounded the corner in time to see her face pinched in anxiety and Sam comforting her, rubbing her back... Before Paul could see red again, she stood straighter and maneuvered out of the gesture, not wanting to be comforted. She was strong.

"Did he say anything?" Sam pressed.

"No, he just sat there, staring. If it weren't for Paul, I don't know what would have happened. The thing- the vampire..." she stuttered over the word a little "it left as soon as Paul came."

Sam nodded at Paul, and even Paul could see there were words in his eyes. They were going to have a talk later.

"Well, I'll take you over to the Clearwater's. Emily's sleeping there, and Seth will watch over you two. Hey-" she was walking towards the stairs as he caught her arm, pulling her in for a hug, "I'm so sorry Laila. I should have been here for you." He was rubbing her back again, and Paul wanted to snap his fucking arms off.

"Well, I'm outta here," Embry concluded. "If everything's good here, I'll go catch up with the rest of them." He ran through the backdoor, and moments later Paul felt the shimmer in the air as Embry phased.

"Go, Paul. We'll meet up later." It was funny how Sam could communicate with his eyes more than his words. He meant, _Get out of my sight. You have hell to pay later._ Paul simply shrugged and turned his back, and it was a fucking travesty. How in the world could he leave her like this? How did the others deal with all of this? _She will be safe_ , his wolf crooned. _She will be at the Clearwater's._ He ran through the door with a little too much force, and phased.

To put it plainly, Laila was confused. She walked through the the Clearwater's door in a somewhat trance. Didn't register the hugs she received from Emily and Sue, didn't taste the warm tea that was offered to her, didn't feel the steaming hot water of the foreign shower-head that she was standing under. What in the hell just happened? So a vampire- a real life blood-sucking _vampire_ \- was a inches away from her. She was inches away from death. Yet she was still here, in Seth's colossal and impossibly comfortable bed, contemplating the events that had just transpired. She pulled the huge comforter over herself and rolled over. There was no way she was getting any sleep tonight.

What was with Paul anyways? He had been acting strange too. Supposedly, it had been etched in the wolves very nature to kill vampires, right? And if Paul was the most dangerous of them all, the most violent and bloodthirsty as Emily had put it, then why didn't he go after it like the rest of them? Why did he stay with her? He did save her life, that she was grateful for. But his behavior thereafter didn't sit right with Laila. Maybe he was pissed at her because it had gotten away.

"Laila, can I come in?" Jacob murmured from behind the door.

"Yes."

He opened the door and took 3 big strides, enveloping her in a warm hug. She didn't want to admit it, but she needed it. She pulled him down to the bed, too happy that he was safe to care about any boundaries. He smoothed her curls, his breath hot on the nape of her neck.

"What happened? Is everyone else okay? Did you... get him?"

"Everyone's okay. We followed the scent, but it turned out to be a dead end. It looks like he jumped off the cliff into the water." He pulled back, searching her eyes. "Are you okay? When I heard what happened, I lost my mind."

"I'm fine. Paul came just in time." This information didn't seem to appease Jacob. He looked away, hiding a grimace.

"Look, Laila. You should steer clear of Paul. He's... dangerous." Laila knew that already, and she knew Jacob was not very fond of him. Jacob used to tell her stories when she was younger that used to scare her. Paul getting into fights, Paul being a womanizer, Paul this, Paul that. Jacob hated him more than she did.

That wasn't true. She didn't hate him. He did save her life and counted for something. Even if he was a complete dog- for lack of a better word. She needed to find a way to thank him...

"I'm serious, Lay. Stay away. He's not good company." She nodded, not meeting his eyes. She knew if she opened her mouth, he wouldn't like what she had to say. She at least had to thank him. Whether Jacob liked it or not.

"Get some sleep. There's a meeting tomorrow morning, and you're coming." She nodded again and he pulled her in for another hug, crushing her to his rock hard abs. "I'm so glad you're okay." He breathed. He let go and with one last worried glance, and shut the door behind him.

She laid back down, pulling the huge down comforter over herself and tried to make herself feel tired. She was wired right now and knew sleep would not come easy. She glanced at the clock. 4:30A.M! Ugh! She rolled over and smashed a pillow over her head. I _guess counting sheep isn't out of the question._

127 sheep later, she sat up in exasperation. This was not working. She climbed out of the bed silently, and crept through the house. Everyone else was asleep, and the house was dark. Not in the creepy darkness that was Emily's a few hours before. She could hear Harrys snoring down the hall, and Emily's even breaths from the couch in the living room.

She settled for the back porch swing, although it was a little chilly out, and sat down facing the back yard that led into the forest. She had to admit, it was nice here on the small reservation. Being near her family- blood relatives or not. She wasn't used to the cold, or wet, but it was change of scenery. And not necessary a bad one. It was quiet outside, and not windy like it had been earlier in the night during the bonfire. She pulled the small afghan over her shoulders and stared into the forest. She felt better being outside, in the quiet peaceful backyard.

A snap of twigs near the forest edge caught her attention, and she tried to focus her eyes in that area. Something glinted in the moonlight but it was too far for her. She stopped the porch swing, trying to listen carefully. A small animal maybe?

Without warning, a large silver haired wolf appeared, taking slow deliberate steps out of the bushes. It's dark nose hung low, and it's dark intelligent eyes stayed on her the entire time. Something about the eyes struck her as familiar. She stood with the afghan still slung around her shoulders.

This wolf was huge! She remembered clearly when Sam had phased in front of her. This wolf looked much like him, except taller and definitely bigger. Sam was jet black. This wolfs base color was a dark grey and the moonlight she could see the silver parts of its coat shining. She took involuntary steps off the porch, towards the animal. The wolf stopped and cocked its head.

She wasn't scared; something resonated deep down in her bones told her she was absolutely safe. She wanted to approach this animal. But who was it?

She was about 5 feet away now, and the animal bowed its head to her, before laying on its belly. Something caught her eye- a cord. Wrapped around the animals leg. And she recognized those cargo shorts immediately.

"Paul?" She gasped. The animal just stared at her, as if to gauge her reaction. What was he doing out here? The animal whined, closing its large dark eyes. Her hand twitched, and she wanted so badly to just feel his fur.

"Can I?" She asked, hand stretched out to caress him. Paul hummed. She stroked the fur along his back, mesmerized on just how soft it was. Paul hummed a little louder in appreciation. They stayed like that for a few minutes.

"You know, I like you like this. You can't open your mouth and insult me," she laughed. Paul opened his mouth in a wolfy grin. She continued to stroke his fur. She yawned suddenly and he looked at her in question.

"Can't sleep."

Paul stood, and her hand fell away. He gave her one glance, looked towards the house, then back at her. He then took off into the forest. She was left standing there, confused at their exchange. She was tired though, and decided maybe another try at sleeping wouldn't hurt. She trudged back inside, fell into Seth's warm bed and tried not to think about the silver wolf outside in the forest.

It was easy for Paul to hide what had just happened. That he just imprinted. Once he phased, he put all his energy into his wolf instincts, focused on running the perimeter that Sam had set, and didn't think of much else really. Nobody caught on, everyone was too focused on the vampire; the whys, the hows, the what-ifs. Embry fell into a run next to him, and they both just concentrated on the vampire stench that now permeated the area. Quil and Jared were on the other side of the large forest, keeping watch. The rest of the pack were filtered around La Push, most likely sleeping at this hour. Paul kept a steady pace. It was easy for him to let his instincts take over. Easy enough, until when he passed by the Clearwater's, he saw his imprint sitting outside, staring out into the forest. He came to a stop, and Embry stopped also.

' _What the hell?_ ' Embry was confused. Paul ignored him, his eyes on Laila and he slowly approached her. He hesitated for a moment behind the trees, and then he emerged from the forest. She stood, and took a small step forward. She didn't look scared. Just curious. Quil and Jared were also watching through Embrys eyes.

Paul took deliberately slow steps, trying not to startle her. She just walked right up to him anyways, as if he were a small rabbit and not a wolf the size of a conversion van. Her chocolate brown eyes held nothing but curiosity, and he could smell her honeysuckle aroma even from where she stood, yards away. It took all his energy to keep still, to keep silent so he wouldn't scare her. He couldn't scare his imprint.

 _'Aw, Hell!'_ Quil thought from the shadows as he watched the two. ' _You fucking imprinted on Laila?!'_ There was an edge of possessiveness in his thoughts, and if Laila wasn't standing a few feet away, he would have snapped at him.

Embry and Jared we're just as shocked. The silence in their thoughts said it all: !!!!!

"Paul?" She gasped, and her just saying his name made him want to howl to the moon right there. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed her presence, her scent, her even breaths and strong heartbeat... he felt completely whole with her there next to him. If Quil, Jared or Embry were saying anything to him, he didn't hear it. And he didn't care.

"Can I?" She asked timidly, and he opened his eyes to see her arm out stretched, fingers inches from his fur. She wanted to touch him... _Knock yourself out, little girl._ She ran her dainty hands through his fur slowly and he was sure she could hear his heart pounding like crazy.

"You know I like you like this. You can't open your mouth to insult me." She smiled and there was a touch of sadness in her smile. He cursed himself internally for ever making her feel less than she was. He didn't deserve her, nobody did.

 _'Paul, cut the sappy shit. Let's get going. It's gonna be a field day tomorrow thanks to this_ ' Jared was annoyed, but Paul could see the underlying secret pleasure he took in him finally imprinting. He was happy for Paul. Ugh. Paul hated sharing thoughts with these punks.

He stood, and her hand fell from his back. He felt the loss of contact to his very core...She yawned loudly, and he could see the dark circles beginning to make an appearance under her eyes. Why wasn't she asleep right now?

"Can't sleep" she stated simply, answering his thoughts. She was so in tune to him already and she didn't even know it. This pleased his wolf.

 _'Let's go Paul. It's dangerous right now for her to be outside and for us to leave the other part of the area unsupervised._ ' Embry was right. They had a duty to protect the people here. He turned back around and stared at her, trying to convey his message. _Get your ass inside and go to bed_. At that, he turned around and went back to his perimeter run.

20 minutes later, after Leah relieved him, found out about the imprint and then threatened to kill him if he ever hurt Laila, he came back to make sure she was peacefully asleep. She was huddled in Seth's bed, hair wild around her face and mouth slack. He grabbed a pillow and a blanket off the bed carefully without waking her, and settled in on the small cushy loveseat adjacent to the bed. He kept his eyes on her until finally they were too heavy to keep open. And he fell asleep.


	4. Chapter Four

Paul was still half asleep, but he was aware enough to hear the sound of a sizzling frying pan and the smell of bacon wafting through the house. He adjusted himself on the loveseat, his back aching, and tried to carry out the last ounce of sleep he had left. He knew they'd wake him up soon, and if they didn't he'd have gotten up himself... He wanted to see her. She had woken up hours earlier, around 8 he guessed, to help Sue start breakfast before the pack arrived. Watching her sleep gave him a sense of calm that he'd never experienced in his life.

He thought back to hours earlier, after Sam had dropped Laila off at the Clearwater's:

 _Paul sat on his haunches before Sam, surrounded by the rest of his packmates_.

' _Imprinted. Huh. I can't say I'm surprised. I've noticed your behavior the past few days' Sam circled around Paul, as the rest watched. Everyone else was shocked, even the ones who knew already. Jacob was furious, his tail whipping back and forth and he sauntered around Paul._

 _'NO! Absolutely fucking not!' Jacob roared, growling at Paul. 'Sam, he will hurt her! He will-'_

 _'Enough, Jacob.' Sam cut him off, staring him down. Jacob whined, but submitted easily and fell to his stomach under the heavy stare. Quil wasn't much happier, but only because he was protective of the girl. He didn't want her to get hurt. Sam turned back to Paul._

 _'When did this happen?'_

 _Paul thought back to the first night, when he caught scent of the vampire. He had been in a kind of frenzy, feeling the pull from his imprint so hard that he couldn't think of anything else. And then he saw her..._

 _'Ahh, that makes sense.' Sam observed, watching the memories from Paul's eyes. He knew the feeling all too well, as did Jared. 'Does she know?'_

 _'No. I don't want her to know.'_

 _Jared and Embry both cocked their heads, confused. Leah was smug, thinking Paul was scared that she wouldn't accept him. Laila hated him already. He glared at her._

 _'I don't want her to think she doesn't have a choice,' Paul ammended, and Sam nodded._

 _'That's... noble of you. It can get quite hard though, and it might take some time.' Sam had tried the same route. Gave Emily space, time to get used to the idea, but it had went awfully for them. Jared had just simply told Kim everything upfront, the moment he had imprinted. And she accepted him easily. 'Do you think your wolf can wait for that?'_

 _'She has no interest in him!' Jacob started again. 'She's in love with me! She just doesn't know it yet..' and Quil couldn't hold back his barking laugh. Leah spoke up this time, growling._

 _'Jacob, leave her alone. It's pathetic. You know she loves you- like a **brother**. Why can't you just accept that?' _

_Jacob lunged at her, and she dodged it swiftly._

 _'Enough!' Sam ordered. He sat there, watching the situation unfold. Although he wanted to know the opinions of his pack, he would not let it get too far._

 _'Pathetic.' She growled at Jacob, and then turned her attention to Paul. 'She's your imprint. I understand that, but if you lay a single finger on that girl, I swear I will take you down.' She bared her sharp teeth at him, and everyone else could see she was being serious._

 _'Leah is right Jacob' Seth agreed, speaking up for the first time on the topic. 'With the first part, I mean. It's Laila's choice. And she is Paul's imprint.' Seth was extremely fond of Laila, and looked up to her. She was like an older sister- one that wasn't so snappy and mean all the time like Leah was._

 _And there was no arguing with that. She was Paul's imprint. Now Paul was smug, and Jacob was seething underneath it all._

 _'I can wait for her.' And at that Paul stood, shaking out his silver coat. He took off in the direction of The Clearwater's house._

 _'Good luck' Sam said, and he meant it. He knew just how terrible it could get having to wait for your imprint to accept you... and just how dangerous it was. He thought back to the first few weeks he met Emily. As time went on, it got worse and worse before it was all too much one day. His wolf became violently jealous after watching her bake an apple pie and deliver it to her neighbors, a younger guy who paid a little too much attention to her. She did it just because that's who she was- a caring and selfless person. And it was a harmless gesture, really. But this meant nothing to Sams wolf, and he phased near her, permanently scarring her face. The regret was clear and deep in his eyes every time he looked at her face. Sam had not been strong enough to stay away, to wait for her. But Paul would be._

His stomach grumbled painfully, bringing him back to reality. He could hear the others bustling about in the living room if the Clearwater house... Sue chastising Seth for not washing his hands, Embry commenting on the great cooking, Jacob asking Laila if she was hungry... At that,Paul lurched awake, throwing the small blanket off of him. Normally, that wouldn't have bothered him. Except that the crybaby alpha had the hots for his girl, and he be damned if he just stood around and let that happen. Hell no.

He strode into the living room seemingly casual, stretching his arms from the few hours of sleep he had gotten. All the while, his eyes stayed on Jacobs hand that was resting on Laila's lower back as she tried to eat her breakfast. She was leaned away slightly, and leaned ever further when Jacob started absentminded rubbing his thumb back and forth across her back. Paul growled under his breath, but before he could teach the kid a lesson, Jared punched his shoulder with a sly smile and a mouth full of eggs.

"Long night, huh?" He winked, making a point to look at Laila then back at Paul.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Paul still had his eyes on her, squeezing the edge of the counter so hard it splintered slightly when Jacobs thumb slipped under the edge of Laila's shirt.

"Sure you do." Paul ignored him, slipping past Laila and the rest of the pack at the table as he grabbed a plate and piled it up with bacon, eggs, hash and toast. Everybody was there, sitting around the table. Sam was sitting at the head, with Emily next to him. He was trying to be subtle about it, but Paul could feel rather than see Sam eyeing him carefully. Sam would be watching him closely from now on, he was as protective of Laila as Paul was. She was small, frail, human. She needed protection. Paul was just going to have to accept the close watch from now on, until Laila accepted him. If she accepted him. _She will_...

Paul sat 2 seats down and across from Laila. It was a good thing Sue and Harry let Sam hold these informal meetings at their house; the Clearwater's home was big enough to be a small bed and breakfast. The large adjoining kitchen/living area had an oak table with 14 chairs and could comfortably seat the whole pack, plus some.

Paul ate his food silently, stealing glances as Laila every few minutes. She chewed on a piece of bacon, evidently in deep thought about something as the rest of them laughed and ate their breakfast around her. The third time he glanced at her, she looked up at him from under her thick lashes and blushed; Jacob-unconsciously or **not** -chose that moment to reach over the table to grab the ketchup bottle, effectively blocking her view. She then decided she was done eating. She grabbed her plate and cup and moved to get up. Jacob mimicked her movement, shadowing her to the sink like some creepy specter. It would be funny if it weren't so goddamn annoying. _Give her some space, cripe_. But Paul kept quiet, his eyes on her the whole time. It took a lot of effort to not flip the whole table over and wring Jacobs neck every time she became visibly uncomfortable with his closeness.

Sam cleared his throat purposefully, and the chatter amongst the group stopped abruptly. He sat in his seat straighter before he began.

"What happened last night was a complete mistake. We let our guard down, we let a vampire on our lands, and worst of all we let one of our own in harms way. This is something we should all be ashamed of." He looked at Laila, sorrow and regret deep in his eyes and Paul knew what he was imagining. If the vampire had killed her, or even worse... changed her. The thought made Paul want to vomit.

"This won't happen again. We've set the perimeter, we've got our run schedule. We need to stay focused, and work together. Paul," he was looking directly at Paul now, and his eyes flashed. "What you did was unacceptable. You didn't alert the rest of us and you put Laila in harms way by doing that. Your ego may not only get you hurt, it could hurt the rest of us. It will **_not_** happen again." The alpha tenor in his voice was crushing, and all he could do was nod. Sam visibly relaxed, haven gotten the hard part out of the way. He looked at Quil.

"Quil, do you want to share the news with the rest of the pack?"

Quil looked down at his half empty plate, and sighed.

"My younger cousin, Collin. He's got the fever." He was resigned, almost sad. Sue came up behind him and rubbed his shoulders. She knew the pain he felt, as she looked at her only son and daughter. It was a life she would not have chosen for anybody. Sam nodded and continued, his face showed nothing but perfect ease. As always.

"So we need to be as supportive as possible when this change comes for Collin. And watch for others... when they come to our lands, it sets the fever in motion for those who carry Quiluete blood." Emily squeezed his hand in support. "Just remember, even when you aren't on shift you need to be vigilant." And he scooped his fork of eggs into his mouth, ending the formal part of the meeting. Jacob and Embry began asking him who else was a possibility to change, attack tactics and other things of that nature...The tenseness floated away and everyone went back to enjoying breakfast while still discussing the important stuff.

Paul got up to wash his plate, when he saw Laila was already elbow deep in bubbly dish water bed scrubbing the plates clean. She glanced up at him with her chocolate eyes as he approached, eyeing his ketchup streaked plate.

"You wash, I'll dry?" He offered, and she nodded.

"Alright."

They stood there like that for a while as the pack kept throwing their dirty dishes at them. Laila washing and Paul drying, in comfortable silence as they both listened to their adoptive family bicker and laugh and speculate on the vampire...Sue kept fretting over the dishes, "Oh, let me do that! Go relax" at which point Laila had to splash her with water to get her to go sit down and stop trying to take over. Quil came up behind her and pinched her, making her giggle, before enveloping her in a hug from behind and Paul knew that he could have grated cement with how hard he was grinding his teeth together to keep from ripping Quil to shreds. Quil was possessive of Laila too, Paul had come to notice. Not in the annoying puppy dog way that Black was, either. Quil was subtle about it, but Paul could see in his eyes that glint every time she laughed or smiled... _Get your fucking hands off her_.

Quil dropped his arms and gave her one gentle squeeze before going to sit on the huge couch in the living room.

"Hey, I just wanted to say something to you." Laila confessed as she scrubbed the last dish clean of bacon bits. Paul stopped, turning towards her as she sighed. She had his full attention. She took a moment, then peeked up at him blowing away stray curls that had fallen in her face from her messy bun.

"Thank you. For last night I mean..." she said, smiling slightly. "After the bonfire." She added. He shrugged, nonchalant.

"Happy to be of service."

She nodded once, then went back to scrubbing the dish in her hand. "You don't scare me, you know." She stated, matter of factly. "As much as I know you'd like to." He snatched the dish from her hand to dry it just as Embry set another dirty dish down.

"Oh, really? I think I do scare you."

"You don't" she asserted, and he could tell that it was true. Of course he didn't scare her, she always went against every natural instinct that humans ever had.

"I can change that for you."

"I bet you can't" she smirked, biting her lip. Why did she have to be so damn stubborn. Everything with her was backwards. She was turning him inside out...Paul was distracted for a moment, her lip was caught between her teeth and he wanted to take it for himself, just to taste her...

"I bet I can. And I bet you'll regret ever tempting me," he needed to be careful. She was playing games with him without even knowing it, testing him. And she was good at it. _Keep it light you idiot_. He dried the last dish as she pulled the drain plug and let the water go.

"Thanks for your help" she smiled.

"Happy to be of service" he repeated. They were both done. Dishes cleaned. Hands washed. Yet neither made a move to leave the spots they were standing in. Unnecessarily close to each other, he could feel her arm hairs tickling his arm and he knew that anyone else who was watching them would probably wonder why they were so close.

"Laila, are you ready to go?" Emily called from the front door, glancing between the two.

"Yeah, I'm coming." She unrolled her shirt sleeves and half-ran to the door where Sam, Emily and Jacob were waiting for her. Jacob stared coldly at Paul, while shrugging his arm over Laila's small frame as if to say: Shes mine. _Yeah, we'll see about that Black._

It was cold and rainy in La Push, and Laila sat on her favorite cushioned window seat that gave her a perfect view of the forest behind her cousins house. Cold and rainy was just unavoidable here; it was a way of life. She had already kissed the sun goodbye, kissed the dry heat and the summer breeze goodbye. It was all she could do not to crawl in a proverbial hole and die. _Stop being so melodramatic._ A flash of russet-brown near the forest edge. She knew Jacob was pacing out there, keeping watch over her and Emily. It made her feel almost guilty. Although he had assured her that he didn't ever get cold, that his soft coat protected him from the wind and rain. It didn't stop her from worrying though.

Emily was tinkering about her house, making her rounds to her various colorful plants and flowers and paying absolutely no mind to the rain. Humming to herself, cheerful and peppy, it was almost as if it were a perfectly sunny afternoon. When Laila had asked her " _W_ _hat makes you so optimistic and cheerful all the time?"_ Emily's answer had made her roll her eyes. _Love. Right._

And it wasn't that Laila didn't believe her. Oh, she knew Emily was in love. You could tell from the moment you walked in their house. Pictures, mementos, keepsakes and other reminders of their true love littered all over the walls, bookshelves, counters... The small cozy home was practically oozing pure love. And if that wasn't enough then it was how Sam and Emily acted around each other. The best way Laila found she could describe it was like _gravity_. Sam just always found his way to her, no matter what was going on or where they were at. Always touching, kissing, whispering... So no it wasn't that Laila didn't believe her. It was that Laila didn't believe she would ever find something so profound with anyone.

Jacob had crossed her mind at that moment, and she felt guilty again. She knew that he would be that for her in a snap of her fingers. He would be her Sam. It wasn't about the _love_ part. She already loved Jacob more than anyone. It was just she couldn't see herself falling _in love_ with him. He was her very best friend, her brother even. But she didn't want him in the way he wanted her. She didn't want him the way a woman wants a man.

"Something on your mind?" Emily murmured, tipping the yellow watering can into a pot of strange looking herbs. Laila sighed and looked out the window again.

"I'm just thinking about... love." She made a stink face at the word. This wasn't a topic she would have regularly liked to discuss but it had been on her mind recently for no good reason. Emily nodded, her face sincere.

"Who is it that's got you thinking of love?" Emily was careful in wording her question. She always cut to the chase. _Damn you._ Laila smiled.

"Jacob." Laila glanced at her cousin out of the corner of her eye to gauge her reaction, but Emily gave nothing away. She simply nodded again.

"Are you in love with him?"

It took Laila a moment to answer.

"No. But he wants me to be. He's just... not right for me. Don't get me wrong! He's awesome, a great person, so funny, so caring..." Emily knew there was a 'but' coming. She waited, inspecting the leaves of a small plant on the kitchen counter before watering it.

"But... he treats me like I'm a baby. Like I'm some kid that he's responsible for. Always telling me what I should and shouldn't do... even since we were kids!" She paused. "And he's so sweet and caring but it's almost _too_ much. And I can tell it's not genuine sometimes. Like even when I know I'm probably wrong, he folds anyways, just to give me what I want. I don't like that... I want to be treated like an adult. Like an equal." She finished, regretting her words even though they were all true. She crossed her arms. "Does that make me a total bitch?"

Emily laughed. "Absolutely not. If you don't like him like that, then you don't. Plain and simple. Don't let anyone guilt you into dating them."

Laila looked out the window again. She felt horrible for saying those things out loud, but she felt better getting them out of her head too. She remembered the summer when she was 14. Jacob had done enough ranting and raving about Quil for the both of them, and he was supposedly his best friend. Told her to stay away, he was not _good for her_. Come to find out, it was because Quil had thought she was cute, not because he was a bad person, as Jacob had stated. He had tried to ward her off from him out of pure jealousy. This set Laila off and she went behind Jacobs back and kissed Quil just to spite him. And Quil had grown into one of her very best friends, to Jacobs horror. He became used to the idea though when he could tell that nothing romantic would ever come between the two. So he backed off.

It was still annoying though. What did Jacob know about what was _good for her_? He wasn't her damn father.

"Maybe you should try talking to him." Emily suggested as she set the watering can down and drank some of her fresh squeezed lemonade.

"Yeah right, I'm sure that'll help."

Talking to Jacob about things was just about as effective as talking to a brick wall. She had told him countless times that her feelings for him were purely platonic. She always felt just a little bit wrong saying I love you, because she knew he took it way differently than she had really meant it, but she did love him. Just not in the way she knew he loved her. It was infuriating. He just never seemed to get the message. Or maybe he did understand her feelings, he just chose to remain ignorant. She really hoped not. That would be as bad as lying if that was the case.

"What about Paul?" Emily asked. That caught Laila off guard, and she stared even harder out of the window, focusing on the small family of bunnies playing in the bushes.

"What about him?"

"Do you think he treats you like an adult?"

Laila flushed. "I don't know. Why are you asking? We don't even talk." Her face felt hot and she tried not to think of the tall, muscular jerk who had offered to help her with the dishes earlier. _That_ had definitely thrown her off. _'What, no bullying today?'_ She had wanted to ask, but decided to keep her mouth shut and enjoy the warm, husky aroma that he was giving off. It was the first decent interaction they had. Besides in the forest, when she met his wolf. So it was the first decent _human_ interaction they had, she corrected.

"You guys seem to talk quite often lately." Emily was nonchalant, refilling the yellow watering can as she questioned Laila with a knowing smile playing at her lips.

Laila's palms were literally sweating. _This is ridiculous, what the hell am I so flustered for?_ She stood and made her way to the stairs.

"I'm gonna take a shower, can you let me know when you start cooking so I can help you?" She started up the stairs before Emily could answer.


	5. Chapter Five

Laila closed her eyes and let the steaming hot water of the shower loosen her up. She lathered her head with unscented shampoo, (Emily had made her give up her precious hair products to save the werewolves sensitive noses) and tried to force her mind to focus on the motions of showering. It was to no avail though, and halfway through washing her hair out she began to think about Paul.

Okay, so she thought he was attractive. _What an understatement_ , she thought wryly. He was drop dead irresistible. She bit her lip as she thought about it. He was like walking sex. His build was something you only saw in movies. Six foot four, lean muscles ranging from his broad shoulders down to his solid and well developed chest, chiseled abs and muscled thighs. Not to mention his perfectly even copper skin tone and his dark, unrelenting eyes... Even when he was harassing her on the beach, she couldn't stop the blush from spreading over her cheeks when he sat right next to her. It was just the way her body responded to him being so close to her. She absolutely could _not_ help it.

She stopped herself. It felt absurd to think of him that way. It was _Paul Lahote_ for Christ's sake... They had disliked each other from the moment they met- when she was gangly brace-face 8 year old and he was a shit head little 12 year old. He had called her a freak, threw mud at her, tied her laces together so she'd trip. And the summers after that, they had just grown to detest each other more as they got older. It had gotten worse and worse until eventually Sam put his foot down about it, which reeled him in only slightly. Paul had always just went out of his way to make sure she knew he hated her. He was a complete dick. _Not lately though_...

Why was his attitude towards her changing now? It was the same old thing on the beach... since then though, he had become almost _pleasant_. The friendliness he showed earlier in the day was also strange. Washing the dishes together... such a simple activity, yet somehow the gesture behind it seemed significant. A step in the right direction, right? What direction though? Friends? _Yeah right_. She shrugged it off. She was thinking too deeply about this.

She sighed and gave up on the shower, turning the water off and stepping out. After drying off though, and throwing on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve T-shirt, she decided maybe she could use a nap. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before, and it was crashing down on her now. It was a quarter to one, and Emily wouldn't start cooking for a little while anyways. She grabbed her cellphone and hopped on the bed, pulling the small soft blanket over herself. She texted Emily.

 **Going to take a nap. If I'm not awake by 2, drag me out of this bed**

She set her phone down, and let her eyes drift close. A moment passed by, and she was almost unconscious when her phone buzzed.

 **Lol, you got it cuz ;)**

Laila didn't reply, and moments later she was already asleep.

Paul was pacing back and forth, his paws sinking into the moist forest floor. It had been hours now since the meeting this morning, and every minute since then he'd begun to grow more anxious. There was a huge knot in his stomach, and the feeling was starting to annoy the shit out of him. After imprinting, he began to feel more off balance, less alert than usual. Wasn't this shit supposed to 'make him whole' as everyone says?

 _'Only if she accepts you, until then you're in for it, buddy._ ' Jared's thoughts were sympathetic. 'It only gets worse'

 _'Can it. I'll be fine.'_ Paul didn't want sympathy, or pity, or anyone else's stupid advice. He wanted to deal with this alone, like he dealt with everything else alone. He sat on his haunches, and huffed. Laila had moved from the window about an hour ago, and he hadn't seen her since. What was she doing? He could see Emily moving about the house, occasionally rearranging a fixture or wiping off a surface.

 _'Why don't you try to get to know her?'_ Jared suggested, pacing on the other side of the clearing of Emily's backyard. They were keeping watch of the house until Leah and Embry relieved them.

 _'I already do know her.'_

 _'I mean on a more personal level. Yeah, you know she's Emilys cousin and she's from Texas.'_ Jared snorted. ' _I mean, what makes her tick, you know? What makes her happy, sad, excited...'_

Paul's sniffed, his nose low to the ground as he considered this. That wouldn't be so bad... Talking to her. It was decent enough earlier, when he had stood next to her and made light conversation. Although he could see the surprise in her eyes that she did not try to conceal. How would he even approach her in that way?

 _'I can help with that. After my shift, I'm having Kim over for a movie night. You and Laila can come.'_

This time Paul snorted. _'Yeah, right. And how the hell do you suggest I get her to agree to that without sounding like...'_

 _'Like a hormone driven werewolf luring his imprint to be his prey? That's easy. I'll invite her, and you just happen to tag along.'_

Ugh. This was so not Paul. It all felt too _formal_... A movie night? Good god, he already sounded like he was turning into a softy.

 _'You know Paul, being in love with someone is not as bad as you think. But I guess if that's how you feel, then you can just keep resorting to watching her from windows and feeling like shit all the time. It's up to you buddy'_ Jared circled the house, and even though he was offering this unwanted advice, Paul could feel tenor behind his thoughts... He counting down the hours until he could see Kim again.

Jared was Paul's closest friend, and he had known him since they'd learned how to tie their shoes. And it wasn't like Jared had really changed since imprinting on Kim. Jared was callous and unsympathetic in his demeanor, much like Paul. Although he had become more calm since imprinting, his curt attitude toward most things hadn't changed. And that's why Paul liked him so much. He could totally be himself around Jared without worrying about hurting his feelings or watching what he said. Jared was quick-witted, and could be just as much of an ass, if not more.

Jared was right though. Paul was not used to this feeling, and it seemed the more time passed by, the worse it felt. Like a gaping hole through his stomach if he was not near Laila. And even when he did see her, he felt whole but incomplete at the same time.

Maybe a "movie night" wouldn't be so bad.

 _'Okay, I'm in. But don't get any funny ideas.'_

Jared's wolf simply nodded, and they both felt the shimmer in the cold air. He felt Seth's muted paws on the forest floor behind him, coming to relieve them both.

 _'Hey guys! What's going on?'_ He was always so damn cheerful for no good reason. It would have annoyed Paul, but Seth was a good kid. Optimism was a necessity when most of your adult life had to take a back seat to a proverbial call to duty.

 _'Not much. Where's Embry?_ ' Jared wondered.

 _'He's going to watch Collin. They think any day now...'_ The three of them fell silent. They all knew how hard the change was.

Seth finally made it to the clearing of Emily's house. Jared skirted off without a second thought, anxious to get home to see Kim. Paul stood there, watching the second story window where he was sure Laila was sleeping. It felt awful to turn around and run back to his house. He left Seth there to patrol, feeling his sympathy. He didn't say anything though, and Paul was glad for that.

He got home, and opened the door to his small house that was a mile off the coast and set deeper into the forest than the rest of the packs houses. It was quieter, and he usually felt a sense of solitude. As he walked in though, and stared at his empty living room, he felt more alone. It was like as soon as he imprinted, all aspects of his life felt dull, and lonely. _Stop being such a fucking sap._ He strolled to his fridge and grabbed a bottle of beer.

What did he know about her? He sat at his kitchen table and ran a hand through his cropped hair. He knew she was 22. That she was from Texas. That she had warm brown eyes and even warmer brown skin that was dotted with freckles. That she could light up the room with her smile and make him feel things, deep _feral_ things with her blush.

She was also hard-headed. Extremely stubborn and almost _fiesty_. He'd never come to know anybody in his life (save for Jared) that could stand to be near him, and be completely himself. It was... interesting to say the least. It made him contemplate the whole imprint itself. She had always been that way... the imprint hadn't changed that. She had always stood out from others. When they were younger, even. He remembered the summer when he had just turned 17, and she was 13. As soon as she had come into town, she easily took his friends away from him, just like every summer. He remembered staring at her on the beach, parading around with Quil, Jacob and Jared following her around like puppies. He remembered the burning feeling he felt. At the time, he thought it to be anger towards her, or even jealousy that she had everyone wrapped around her finger. But as he thought about it, was it really anger towards _her_? Or anger towards Jared, and the rest of the guys for being around her- his future imprint. Either way, it pissed Paul off to no end, and it was all he could do to not bully the girl. Oh, he had made sure she knew he hated her. Called her names, made fun of her... but she stood her ground and never let him have the last word, if she could help it. Then again, maybe it had been the imprint even back then? He had never expended so much time in harassing someone like that. Now that he was looking back, he had paid just as much attention to her as everyone else, maybe even more. Could it have been the imprint way back then?

He stood suddenly, exasperated from going back in forth in his head. It was 5:40, and he decided he may as well take a shower and head to Jared's. Before he could start the shower, his phone buzzed. Jared had texted him.

 **Lailas on her way. When u comin?**

He responded, his heart quickening involuntarily.

 **Be there in 15.**

He felt mechanical in the shower, going through the motions speedily, his mind on her. Did she take notice in his different behavior? It took him about 7 minutes to shower, and another 3 minutes to be dressed in casual jeans and a black tee. He opted for his motorcycle instead of just running because he didn't think it would be prudent to flash his imprint accidentally given the situation.

He arrived at 5:57, parking in the short gravel driveway at Jared's. He could smell her already before even opening the door, and his wolf howled inside of him. _Keep it light_. He stepped through the threshold of Jared's house, and his eyes found her instantly. She was sitting on the large love sofa, legs criss crossed, smiling widely at Kim who was telling her some story that was apparently funny. She had a large mug in her hands, and one sniff of the air told him it was definitely hot cocoa. She didn't acknowledge his presence, but he knew it was deliberate because as soon as the door shut behind him she went rigid, her smile frozen on her face.

"Damn, that was fast." Jared snickered, punching Paul in greeting. He winked, then went to the kitchen. "You hungry? I'm putting a few pizzas in right now" he called. Paul's stomach grumbled loud enough for the girls to hear.

"Yeah, actually I'm starving." He kicked off his brown hiking boots and casually strode to the mismatched couch adjacent to the one Laila was sitting in, and plopped down. "What's up, girlies?"

"Kim was just telling me about Seth's new love interest," Laila informed, taking a sip of her cocoa. She looked perfectly at ease, although when Jared came back in from the kitchen, she threw him a look.

Kim giggled. "Yeah, I think he's got a crush on my cousin. He asked her out next Friday."

"Poor girl. I wonder if she'd be okay knowing that he's what goes bump in the night." Jared sat next to Kim, in between her and Paul.

"What's the point? He's gonna break her heart if he imprints on someone and they're dating." Paul stood, heading for the fridge. "Do we really need a repeat of that?" They all knew he meant Sam and Leah.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Kim's face was pinched. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"Dude! Stop being so cynical all the time. What do _you_ know about imprinting anyway?" Jared smirked, and Paul shot him a glare as he cracked open a beer. He wondered if Laila noticed his shit-eating grin.

"So what are we watching?" Laila asked, steering the conversation. Jared stretched out, extending his legs and using up the side of the couch that Paul was sitting on, and winked at him. _Christ this kids asking for it_.

"I think we're gonna watch Scream. Right babe?" Kim looked to Jared for confirmation.

"Yeah, everyone cool with that?"

"I've never seen it, sure." Laila nodded, and set her mug on the side table. Paul moved to sit down next to her, monitoring her every move from the corner of his eye. She didn't tense up, but she also didn't look completely relaxed like before. He sighed, and sipped his beer. The love seat was large and comfortable, but not large enough to provide adequate space between them- their jeaned legs were touching slightly. _This is gonna be a long fucking night._

An hour later, after eating all three pizzas between the four of them (mostly thanks to Paul and Jared), they had all settled down mostly into the movie. Kim and Jared were cuddled up on the bigger couch under a blanket, occasionally whispering sweet nothings into each others ears. Normally it would have disgusted Paul, but now he was almost just a little bit jealous. Laila was still criss crossed, wrapped in a big hoodie and watching the movie intently. She yawned, and adjusted herself on the couch, which in turn made her just a little bit closer to Paul. He yawned too, and stretched his arms to the back of the couch, slipping one behind her slightly. She leaned back a little, her curls tickling his arm and sending electrical jolts down to his core.

 _This is fucking torture_. Being near her, feeling her warmth and being enveloped in her scent and essence was pure bliss and pure hell. He wanted to turn her face towards his, pull her in, and...

"Are you okay?" Laila whispered suddenly, breaking him from his reverie. He looked at her, her face pinched in concern.

"What do you mean?" He asked, confused. She glanced down at his hand, which was balled up into a neat fist at the arm of the couch, almost ripping the fabric at the edge. He released, and flexed his hand. He hadn't even noticed he had been doing that. She was doing things to him that was putting him out of his control...

"Yeah, movies just scary is all." He whispered lamely, and she rolled her eyes and chuckled. As if to say ' _Yeah, right._ ' He continued to stare at her, at the little freckle on her cheek. The movie held no interest to him.

She turned back, puzzled. Her warm honey breath washed over his face, and if her eyes hadn't held his at that moment then he'd swear they would have rolled back in his head. Her scent was like nothing in this world, it drove him crazy. Her face was inches away from his, and he had realized then that they had been gravitating towards each other this whole time. They had been on opposite ends of the couch earlier; Now they were inches apart, his whole right side of his body was against hers, his arm cradled behind her.

She must have had the same realization because her warm brown skin was washed over in a pink tint, and she looked down, biting her lip. He would give anything, anything to be the one biting that lip. She looked up again from under her thick lashes and it came crashing down on him. He **needed** her, right here and now. He needed to taste her lips. To convey his feelings for her. To show her that he loved her, that he-

He paused, inches away from her face. _Love_? They were impossibly close, noses almost touching, yet he stopped. _Wait._ _Love_? He pulled back, and she blushed once again, and looked away. He rubbed his hand through his hair, frustrated. _What the fuck am I doing?_ He couldn't possibly love her. They were almost strangers. Yet here he was, basically raping his imprint. Why? Because a deep-rooted super gene in his body told his brain that he was in _love_ with this girl who he had hated for more than half his life. He felt disgusted with himself for almost going that far, and decided that it was time to get some air.

He got up, ignoring Jared's confused glance, and Lailas nervous scent, and walked out the front door.


	6. Chapter Six

_What in the hell are you doing, you idiot!_ Laila sighed, exasperated and embarrassed, and she sat alone on Jared's couch. Jared and Kim were staring at the television, watching the scary movie they had put on an hour earlier. Thank god they didn't notice the little exchange she and Paul had moments earlier. She blushed again, and squeezed her eyes shut. Did she really almost _kiss_ him?! Why? She thought back to minutes earlier, the electric feeling that had been passing between the two. She had made sure to put lots of space between them before the movie, yet there they were. So close that she could feel his even breaths blowing at her face, and she was sure he could hear her ragged uneven breathing. How embarrassing, yet all she could think about at the time was the warmth from his muscled leg next to hers, and the heat growing in the pit of her stomach.

She wanted so so desperately to just touch her lips to his. But why? She hardly even knew him, and there was the little fact that they had always hated each other... But she sat there, his dark eyes silently beckoning her forward, and she could feel the thick arm behind her flex slightly, pulling her closer to him.

Then he walked out. She probably scared him off-of all people to try and make a pass at him. She was so confused. It had been 5 minutes since he had walked out, and she was starting to worry that he actually left. She didn't _hear_ the motorcycle start, but maybe she should just go peek out the window...

Before the anxiety in her stomach that had replaced the heat could grow any worse, the front door opened again, and she didn't need to look to know it was Paul. She noted also that her anxiety had disappeared. _Odd..._

She kept her eyes trained on the tv, listening to Paul's footsteps in the kitchen. _Should I apologize? Should I just leave?_ She had no clue how to approach him, or if she even should. He fumbled around in the fridge, then after a moment she heard the pop of a can of beer opening. Then another. Had she really freaked him out so bad that he felt the need to get wasted right now?

Before she knew it, Paul was standing in front of her, arm extended to hand her one of the beers he opened. She grabbed it, and nodded in thanks. _I need to relax a bit anyways_. He sat down next to her again, further apart than before but looking more relaxed as he sipped his own beer. She tried to concentrate on the movie again, but to her dismay she found the ending credits rolling. She wasn't even paying attention to the stupid movie to begin with. All she could focus on was the warmth emanating from him.

Jared stood from his embrace with Kim, blanket falling off both of them, and pulled her up with him. He stretched from laying down for so long, and she walked past him towards his room, throwing Laila a smile and a "Goodnight" as she glanced between the two.

"We're probably gonna hit the sack. You guys are free to chill here though. Just don't be too loud." Jared winked. Weird. "And Paul don't drink up all my beers now either." With that he stalked off to his bedroom where Kim was waiting.

They sat in silence for a moment, neither of them moving or making conversation. _I wonder what he's thinking_... Laila sipped the last of her beer, feeling slightly less tense. She was about to move to get up when Paul turned in her direction.

"What's your middle name?" He asked, although it sounded like he was demanding to know. She frowned.

"Why?"

"It's just a question."

She was thoughtful for a moment. He waited, staring.

"It's May. Why do you want to know?" Laila waited, biting her bottom lip absentmindedly. He sipped the last of his beer, then got up to throw both cans away.

"I just wanted to know. That's all." He threw the cans away and returned to the living room, standing in front of her again. "Do you need a ride home?"

"I can walk back, it's fine." She stood up, accidentally brushing her arm against his. She immediately felt goosebumps. _Must be the beer..._

"Just stop being stubborn and let me take you home." He ordered, standing in her way of the door. She frowned again. She did not like being _ordered_.

"What's it to you anyway? It's not even 10 minutes. You'd be going out of your way. It's fine," she argued, moving to get around him to the door. His thick brown arm was in front of her instantly. She glared up at him.

"What's it to me? You might want to rethink walking back in the dark. _Werewolves_ are not the only things lurking out here." He assured, moving to block the door completely. He was clearly referring to the 'vampires' that apparently populated this area also. "Although we are the most dangerous" he added, smirking.

"Oh, so you want to protect me? Yeah. Right. Move out of my way."

He stared back, his dark eyes not angry or annoyed. Just... distant. But he didn't budge, and it was clear he was not going to let her win this one. "Fine!" She snapped, crossing her arms. He grinned a smug smile, opening the door for her and walking out behind her. _Why does he care anyway?_ She stopped short, gaping when she saw the shiny black two-wheeled death machine that was sitting in the gravel driveway. "You want me to ride... _that_?!"

He smiled, hopping onto the gleaming motorcycle like it was a stationary bike rather than a 400 pound piece of metal with wheels. "You've never been one the back of one of these babies?" He patted the seat, eyebrow raised. She gaped.

"If you really think I'll get on the back of that, you must be an idiot."

"I guess I am an idiot. But at least I'm not a _coward_." He smirked. She scowled at him, standing there still with her arms crossed. He was baiting her, and she knew it. She most definitely was not a coward, not in the least bit. She eyed the motorcycle again. _Maybe it won't be so bad..._

It wasn't that she was afraid of the motorcycle. She was all for it, and if it were anybody but Paul she would have happily gotten on the back of it. But the issue here was that it _was_ Paul sitting there, persuading her to get on the bike. And it would be Paul she would have to hold on to, have her thighs around, be pressed up against... It just seemed like a bad idea given the earlier exchange they had. And she knew Jake would definitely not approve. _Wait. Who even cares what Jake thinks?_ She was not his responsibility. And yet she knew he wouldn't want her to do this...

"Fine." She exclaimed, and he grinned even wider. "Straight to Em's." He scooted back a bit, settling on the seat that was further behind, leaving room for her in the front.

"Don't I ride on the back?" She was confused. He shook his head.

"Sure, if you want to fall off and crack your skull. Not on my watch though, little girl." _Ugh_. So _he_ would be pressed up against _her_. She eyed it again.

"Straight to Em's." She repeated, and she gripped the handles as she climbed on, pressing her back against his chest. His legs enveloped hers and his arms came down on top of hers, wrapping around her small hands. He was so _warm_! Even in this cold weather, she wasn't even the slightest bit chilly because he was radiating so much heat. Ironically, she shivered once from the warmth. He chuckled, then kickstarted the machine. It came roaring to life, vibrating underneath her, and she reflexively pressed herself against him even more.

"Ready?" He yelled over the roaring, but didn't wait for her answer. They took off, rocks and dirt flying behind them, and started down the dirt path to the road. It felt weird, being so close to him like this. But somehow she felt safe. Like a sense of home. And she could not understand why.

Before she could think any deeper into that, they turned onto the highway that ran parallel to La Push-and suddenly they were _flying_. He gripped the handles, and her small hands underneath his, even tighter, and her back was pressed hard against his broad, muscled chest. They were going so fast, it felt like they were airborne. The cold wind was whipping through her hair, although Paul was warm enough to keep her warm also, and she couldn't see anything but the highway lights zooming past them. She laughed, and the feeling was so exhilarating. She laughed again, just for the feeling, and even though she couldn't hear it, she could feel Paul was laughing too the way his shoulders and chest were moving. She probably sounded like a manic laughing this way, but she hadn't ever felt this way. She threw her head back, her cheek flushed against his, and closed her eyes. They were probably going 100 miles per hour down this highway, yet she felt so safe, so warm, so comfortable to be in his arms like this...

They made a turn to get off the freeway, and her hand automatically fell out of his grasp to grip his solid leg. She could feel the muscle underneath his jeans, and the warmth. His leg flexed slightly underneath her touch, and she wanted so badly to run her hand down his leg, but she controlled her urge. _Stop it!_ She felt him tense slightly, and she put her hand back underneath his on the handle. She could feel his warm, even breathing on her neck, and the feeling sent chills all the way down to her core. _Stop it!_ He moved slightly closer to her, and she was almost sitting on his lap the way they were close like this. He was so warm... his woodsy scent was all around her... _Stop it! Laila get a fucking grip!_

She hadn't even realized they had just pulled into Emily's driveway. She had been so focused on him, on his body. His bike slowed down, then idled, then finally he shut it off. The immediate silence after he shut it off was deafening in the middle of the forest. More so than the loud engine as they were riding.

She stood, and climbed off the bike. He stayed perched, watching her with his dark eyes. His dark eyes that conveyed no emotion to her. Just watching.

"Thanks. That was..." she trailed off. _What_ _was_ _it_? To say it was fun would be an understatement. Riding a motorcycle with Jake would be fun. Riding with Paul was a whole different experience.

He nodded, and she started up the steps. _What was that_? She could feel his eyes on her back, could feel him cataloguing her every movement. She unlocked the door, paused for a moment, then opened it and went inside without a look back.


End file.
